To amend sections 303.04, 303.13, 303.15, 519.04, 519.13, and 519.15 of the Revised Code to provide for the appointment of two alternate members to a county rural zoning commission, a county board of zoning appeals, a township zoning commission, and a township board of zoning appeals.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Sec. 303.04. The board of county commissioners of any county proceeding under sections 303.01 to 303.25, inclusive, of the Revised Code, shall create and establish a county rural zoning commission. The commission shall be composed of five members who reside in the unincorporated area of the county to be zoned, to be appointed by the board, and the. THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MAY APPOINT TWO ALTERNATE MEMBERS TO THE COUNTY RURAL ZONING COMMISSION, FOR TERMS TO BE DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. AN ALTERNATE MEMBER SHALL TAKE THE PLACE OF AN ABSENT REGULAR MEMBER AT ANY MEETING OF THE COUNTY RURAL ZONING COMMISSION, ACCORDING TO PROCEDURES PRESCRIBED BY RESOLUTION BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. AN ALTERNATE MEMBER SHALL MEET THE SAME APPOINTMENT CRITERIA AS A REGULAR MEMBER. WHEN ATTENDING A MEETING ON BEHALF OF AN ABSENT MEMBER, THE ALTERNATE MEMBER MAY VOTE ON ANY MATTER ON WHICH THE ABSENT MEMBER IS AUTHORIZED TO VOTE. THE terms of the REGULAR members shall be of such length and so arranged that the term of one member will expire each year. Where there is a county or regional planning commission the board of county commissioners may appoint qualified members of such commission who reside in the unincorporated area of the county to serve on the county rural zoning commission. Each REGULAR OR ALTERNATE member shall serve until his THE MEMBER'S successor is appointed and qualified. Members of the zoning commission shall be removable for nonperformance of duty, misconduct in office, or other cause by the board, upon written charges being filed with the board, after a public hearing has been held regarding such charges, and after a copy of the charges has been served upon the member so charged at least ten days prior to the hearing, either personally, by registered mail, or by leaving such copy at his THE MEMBER'S usual place of residence. The member shall be given an opportunity to be heard and answer such charges. Vacancies shall be filled by the board and shall be for the unexpired term.

Sec. 303.13. In any county which adopts zoning regulations the board of county commissioners shall appoint a county board of zoning appeals COMPOSED of five members who shall be residents of the unincorporated territory in the county included in the area zoned, not more than two of whom shall be from any one township if the area zoned includes three or more townships. THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MAY APPOINT TWO ALTERNATE MEMBERS TO THE COUNTY BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS, FOR TERMS TO BE DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. AN ALTERNATE MEMBER SHALL TAKE THE PLACE OF AN ABSENT REGULAR MEMBER AT ANY MEETING OF THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS, ACCORDING TO PROCEDURES PRESCRIBED BY RESOLUTION BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. AN ALTERNATE MEMBER SHALL MEET THE SAME APPOINTMENT CRITERIA AS A REGULAR MEMBER. WHEN ATTENDING A MEETING ON BEHALF OF AN ABSENT MEMBER, THE ALTERNATE MEMBER MAY VOTE ON ANY MATTER ON WHICH THE ABSENT MEMBER IS AUTHORIZED TO VOTE. The terms of all REGULAR members shall be of such length and so arranged that the term of one member will expire each year. Each REGULAR OR ALTERNATE member shall serve until his THE MEMBER'S successor is appointed and qualified. Members may be removed for the same causes and in the same manner as provided by section 303.04 of the Revised Code. Vacancies shall be filled by the board of county commissioners and shall be for the unexpired term. The members may be allowed their expenses, or SUCH compensation, or both, as the board of county commissioners may approve and provide.

The board of zoning appeals may, within the limits of the moneys appropriated by the board of county commissioners for the purpose, employ such executive, professional, technical, and other assistants as it deems CONSIDERS necessary.

Sec. 303.15. The county board of zoning appeals shall organize and adopt rules in accordance with the zoning resolution. Meetings of the board of zoning appeals shall be held at the call of the chairman CHAIRPERSON, and at such other times as the board determines. The chairman CHAIRPERSON, or in his THE CHAIRPERSON'S absence the acting chairman CHAIRPERSON, may administer oaths, and the board of zoning appeals may compel the attendance of witnesses. All meetings of the board of zoning appeals shall be open to the public. The board of zoning appeals shall keep minutes of its proceedings showing the vote of each REGULAR OR ALTERNATE member upon each question, or, if absent or failing to vote, indicating such fact, and shall keep records of its examinations and other official actions, all of which shall be immediately filed in the office of the board of county commissioners and be a public record.

Appeals to the board of zoning appeals may be taken by any person aggrieved or by any officer of the county affected by any decision of the administrative officer. Such appeal shall be taken within twenty days after the decision by filing, with the officer from whom the appeal is taken and with the board of zoning appeals, a notice of appeal specifying the grounds. The officer from whom the appeal is taken shall transmit to the board of zoning appeals all the papers constituting the record upon which the action appealed from was taken.

The board of zoning appeals shall fix a reasonable time for the public hearing of the appeal, give at least ten days' notice in writing to the parties in interest, give notice of such public hearing by one publication in one or more newspapers of general circulation in the county at least ten days before the date of such hearing, and decide the appeal within a reasonable time after it is submitted. Upon the hearing, any person may appear in person or by attorney.

Sec. 519.04. The board of township trustees of any township proceeding under sections 519.01 to 519.99, inclusive, of the Revised Code, shall create and establish a township zoning commission. The commission shall be composed of five members who reside in the unincorporated area of the township, to be appointed by the board, and the. THE BOARD OF TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES MAY APPOINT TWO ALTERNATE MEMBERS TO THE TOWNSHIP ZONING COMMISSION, FOR TERMS TO BE DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES. AN ALTERNATE MEMBER SHALL TAKE THE PLACE OF AN ABSENT REGULAR MEMBER AT ANY MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP ZONING COMMISSION, ACCORDING TO PROCEDURES PRESCRIBED BY RESOLUTION BY THE BOARD OF TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES. AN ALTERNATE MEMBER SHALL MEET THE SAME APPOINTMENT CRITERIA AS A REGULAR MEMBER. WHEN ATTENDING A MEETING ON BEHALF OF AN ABSENT MEMBER, THE ALTERNATE MEMBER MAY VOTE ON ANY MATTER ON WHICH THE ABSENT MEMBER IS AUTHORIZED TO VOTE. THE terms of the REGULAR members shall be of such length and so arranged that the term of one member will expire each year. Where there is a county or regional planning commission the board may appoint qualified members of such commission to serve on the township zoning commission. Each REGULAR OR ALTERNATE member shall serve until his THE MEMBER'S successor is appointed and qualified. Members of the zoning commission shall be removable for nonperformance of duty, misconduct in office, or other cause by the board, upon written charges being filed with the board, after a public hearing has been held regarding such charges, and after a copy of the charges has been served upon the member so charged at least ten days prior to the hearing, either personally, by registered mail, or by leaving such copy at his THE MEMBER'S usual place of residence. The member shall be given an opportunity to be heard and answer such charges. Vacancies shall be filled by the board and shall be for the unexpired term.

Sec. 519.13. In any township, which adopts zoning regulations the board of township trustees shall appoint a township board of zoning appeals COMPOSED of five members who shall be residents of the unincorporated territory in the township included in the area zoned. THE BOARD OF TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES MAY APPOINT TWO ALTERNATE MEMBERS TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS, FOR TERMS TO BE DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES. AN ALTERNATE MEMBER SHALL TAKE THE PLACE OF AN ABSENT REGULAR MEMBER AT ANY MEETING OF THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS, ACCORDING TO PROCEDURES PRESCRIBED BY RESOLUTION BY THE BOARD OF TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES. AN ALTERNATE MEMBER SHALL MEET THE SAME APPOINTMENT CRITERIA AS A REGULAR MEMBER. WHEN ATTENDING A MEETING ON BEHALF OF AN ABSENT MEMBER, THE ALTERNATE MEMBER MAY VOTE ON ANY MATTER ON WHICH THE ABSENT MEMBER IS AUTHORIZED TO VOTE. The terms of all REGULAR members shall be of such length and so arranged that the term of one member will expire each year. Each REGULAR OR ALTERNATE member shall serve until his THE MEMBER'S successor is appointed and qualified. Members shall be removable for the same causes and in the same manner as provided by section 519.04 of the Revised Code. Vacancies shall be filled by the board of township trustees and shall be for the unexpired term. The members may be allowed their expenses, or such compensation, or both, as the board of township trustees may approve and provide.

The board of zoning appeals may, within the limits of the moneys appropriated by the board of township trustees for the purpose, employ such executives EXECUTIVE, professional, technical, and other assistants as is deems IT CONSIDERS necessary.

Sec. 519.15. The township board of zoning appeals shall organize and adopt rules in accordance with the zoning resolution. Meetings of the board of zoning appeals shall be held at the call of the chairman CHAIRPERSON, and at such other times as the board determines. The chairman CHAIRPERSON, or in his THE CHAIRPERSON'S absence the acting chairman CHAIRPERSON, may administer oaths, and the board of zoning appeals may compel the attendance of witnesses. All meetings of the board of zoning appeals shall be open to the public. The board of zoning appeals shall keep minutes of its proceedings showing the vote of each REGULAR OR ALTERNATE member upon each question, or, if absent or failing to vote, indicating such fact, and shall keep records of its examinations and other official actions, all of which shall be immediately filed in the office of the board of township trustees and be a public record.

Appeals to the board of zoning appeals may be taken by any person aggrieved or by any officer of the township affected by any decision of the administrative officer. Such appeal shall be taken within twenty days after the decision by filing, with the officer from whom the appeal is taken and with the board of zoning appeals, a notice of appeal specifying the grounds. The officer from whom the appeal is taken shall forthwith transmit to the board of zoning appeals all the papers constituting the record upon which the action appealed from was taken.

The board of zoning appeals shall fix a reasonable time for the public hearing of the appeal, give at least ten days' notice in writing to the parties in interest, give notice of such public hearing by one publication in one or more newspapers of general circulation in the county at least ten days before the date of such hearing, and decide the appeal within a reasonable time after it is submitted. Upon the hearing, any person may appear in person or by attorney.